No sooner had the first-generation Honda Fit alighted on U.S. showroom floors than it shouldered its way onto our 2007 10Best list. Now its a five-time champ, maintaining its entertaining demeanor through a comprehensive 2009 makeover. Since its debut, the Fit Sport has won a seven-car comparo [May 2006], then faced a pair of brand-new challengersthe Ford Fiesta SES and the Mazda 2 Touringto score another triumph [October 2010]. One-hundred seventeen horsepower aint muchthere exist Montanans with lawn mowers as powerfulbut the 2500-pound Fit nails 60 mph in 8.3 seconds, 1.8 seconds quicker than the Fiesta and 0.8 second sooner than the Mazda 2. Were equally zinged by this Hondas upscale interior, its quick and precise steering, an engaging shifter, spot-on ergonomics, a windshield as big as a minivans, and a rear seat that is both adult-habitable and drops to the floor faster than a Marine pumping push-ups. All of the foregoing, plus an observed 34 mpg. Although its close, the Fit isnt perfectly fit. Its 197-foot ­braking distance is substandard, the front seats lumbar support is too aggressive, and the air conditioning strains to keep up with the solar load caused by all that glass. Nonetheless, the Fit offers a fun-to-drive quotient that proves basic transportation isnt always basic.